IN a rain affected weekend of Worcestershire County League cricket premier division leaders Redditch were beaten at home by Stourbridge.

Opener Jujhar Johal scored 119 not out for the visitors to seal the points by a comfortable seven wicket margin.

Second placed Astwood Bank were also defeated at home, this time by Old Elizabethans who had Tom Goodwin (101) and overseas player Raminda Arachchige (56) to thank as they chased down the Bank's excellent first innings total of 275-9 to earn a three wicket win.

In other matches Chaddesley Corbett beat Pershore by three wickets at Longmore to stay third, Jonathan Wright compiled a second innings 52 to help Old Hill win a nail biter at Haden Hill off the last ball of a reduced game against a gritty Worcester side.

Ryan Derrick (5-21) and Greg Massingham (4-21) eased Stourport to victory against basement side Feckenham and the match at Evesham (versus Bewdley) was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

In division one Worcester Nomads travelled to last week's leaders Colwall and achieved a 42 run win.

Hagley took the chance to regain top spot as James Russell (65) and captain Michael Stead (62) set up a 40 run victory in a reduced overs game against Pedmore.

Burghill took advantage of the abandonment of the Bromyard versus Coombs Wood match to leapfrog both in to third position as they overcame visitors Droitwich Spa by two wickets at home.

Cookley also benefitted as they moved in to fifth position as Jack McVey took (4-12) in the first innings to set up a comfortable six wicket victory against Oldswinford.

The other match in the division between Bredon and Belbroughton was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

In division two the games at Bromsgrove (versus Astwood Bank), Enville (versus Brockhampton) and Halesowen (versus Bartestree) were all abandoned before a ball was bowled.

The top two remain locked together, thirty points clear as Waqas Ahmed (4-17) led leaders Lye to victory in a reduced game at home against Himbleton and a first innings half century from Ombersley captain Marcus D’Oliveira (51) ensured they kept up with the pace with a win at Himley.

Third placed Barnt Green kept themselves in the hunt for promotion as they beat Kidderminster by fifty one runs at Chester Road.

In Division Three leaders Netherton won a hotly contested match at Kempsey by just six runs to stay top and Ciaran McGee (118*) scored his maiden county league century for second placed Old Vigornians who won marched to an easy victory at Old Elizabethans after Jabba Riaz claimed (5-18) in the second innings.

Thomas Genders (141) and Iftikar Ali (109) helped Old Hill in to joint third as they led the visitors to a fine first innings (277-1) which proved far too many for basement side Pershore to chase.

Level on points with Old Hill are Martley who lost out to Barnards Green in a rain reduced match at the Jewry Field, Avoncroft recaptured their early season form with a five wicket win at Stourbridge despite a remarkable 104 from M Nazir who was the only home player to make double figures and Rushwick returned to form with a comfortable eight wicket victory at home against Redditch, a victory that sees them stay in tenth but just one win away from the promotion places in a division that is shaping up to be extremely evenly contested.

In division fourm, the matches at Bromsgrove (versus Romsley), Coombs Wood (versus Alvechurch), Five Ways Old Edwardians (versus Eastnor) and league leaders Harborne (versus Astwood Bank) were all abandoned without a ball bowled.

Two teams to prosper on the day were Stourport who made the short trip to Lower Park and beat Bewdley by 46 runs to move in to second position and Worcester who beat lowly Halesowen by a similar margin at Norton Barracks, a win that helped them leap frog both Bewdley and Alvechurch in to third position.

It proved a similar story in division five as four matches were lost to the weather.

The games at Feckenham (versus Colwall), Malvern (versus Claverley), Netherton (versus Hagley) and Worcester Nomads (versus Hanley Castle & Upton) were all abandoned as the overnight and morning rain rendered the grounds unfit for play.

In the two matches that were contested, West Malvern beat leaders Lye at home by 39 runs to move to within two points of their visitors and Chris Mole scored a fine 118* to set up a comfortable victory for Chaddesley Corbett against Droitwich Spa at St. Peter’s Field, a win that moved them above Netherton in to third place just ten points off the top.